Good Morning, Gattina
by nellia cimor
Summary: !SPOILER WARNING! based off of the ending scene from 8x08, "the wheels on the bus." it's sort of what could have happened after the very last scene in the episode between rossi and garcia, and what would have happened if i had written it ;) pairing. enjoy :)
1. Chapter 1: the hangover

[a/n: couldn't help writing this. it was begging me all night to see realization. i hope it's a good one :) love y'all. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL HERE IN... i am merely a pawn in a wonderful game..

She really didn't want to wake up. The bed was far comfier than she could ever recall it being, and she could feel a throbbing, sickening pain beginning in both her head and her stomach. She concentrated on the soothing sensation of the ultra soft bed linen against her heated skin as she nuzzled farther under the covers. 'Oohhh, that was nice', she thought as she wriggled happily for a few more minutes. She gave up the ghost of trying to fall back asleep when she realized she couldn't stop enjoying the feel of moving against the sheets. She sighed blearily and opened her eyes.

She did a double take. The room was rather blurry without her glasses, but it was most definitely not her room in her nice safe apartment; for one thing, the walls were a chocolate brown color, and for another thing, she could smell spicy men's cologne.

She sat up rather quickly, causing her stomach to do a mean lurch and spin routine and the lush blanket to skate down her paling, naked chest. She realized she was naked the moment the warmth of the blanket fell away. She snatched it back and quickly covered herself, breathing in a heavy, rising panic.

Where was she? What had happened? These and a million other questions flooded her already struggling mind. She scanned the room and found the outline of her glasses on the bedside table nearest to her and scrambled to fix them on her face. When her vision cleared, the first thing she noticed was the note that had been carefully written and placed under her glasses. She picked up the note warily.

It read: 'the mixture in the glass will help your hangover. Your clothes are on the chair by the window. I will be in the kitchen should you need anything else, Kitten.'

Kitten? Kitten? But that was Rossi's nickname for- Holy flying crap..

Penelope clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle any distressed noise that might escape, dropping the note in the process. No way.. No way!.. NO. WAY. .. Holy heaven and all of it's fluffy, bright angels, this was a disaster.. How in earth, sky, or moon could this have possibly happened?..

Penelope snatched the glass full of god-knows-what hangover cure, and swallowed a great deal of it before the taste hit. When the foul potion had registered on her taste buds, she nearly broke the glass trying to put it to the farthest end of the bedside table, sputtering and hissing like a half drowned cat all the while. The extremely viscous liquid oozed down her throat and she could feel it quench the fires in her stomach almost immediately upon contact. Despite her anger at her situation, the quieting of her insides was a huge relief.

Still swaddled in the blanket, she slipped out of Rossi's bed and padded over to the chair by the bedroom window. Her clothes were all there, folded neatly and carefully. She felt a twinge of grateful forgiveness as she picked each article up, one by one, and laid them out on the coffee-cream colored sheets. She reluctantly shed the cozy blanket and began the awkward task of redressing herself after her most likely scandalous night. She scolded herself mercilessly and swore endless penance as she went about her work, trying not to think about what would happen once she emerged from that room until she was fully clothed again.

She lingered in the room, breathing in it's guilty scent, and casting her eyes about helplessly, hoping to find a unicorn or talking alarm clock to remind her this was all just a bad dream. But there was nothing there. This was her reality. She steeled her courage, and crept towards the bed room door. With once last glance behind her, she turned the brass knob and snuck out into the long, cold hallway.


	2. Chapter 2: twisty toast

[a/n: extremely flattered with the response to this story. i'm glad so many of you enjoy it! next chappy will hopefully be a little insight into what happened that garcia can't seem to remember. then probably one or two more chapters. we'll see how it goes though. i want to spend a fair bit of time on the next one selecting the right songs, so it might be a few days, but if all goes according to plan, it'll really help sell the believability. :) love y'all. peace.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPY RIGHTED MATERIALS HERE IN... i merely invite them in for tea from time to time..

The first thing she noticed, besides how cold it was outside of Rossi's bedroom, was the faint breakfasty odour wafting from the direction of the kitchen. She felt her mouth water and her tummy rumble with a different kind of ache. She cursed under her breath as her hunger sped up her footsteps.

She peeked around the corner when she reached the end of the hall.

There he was; humming happily to himself as he placed another slice of bread coated in an eggy mixture into the sizzling frying pan. He had a dish towel slung over his left shoulder and a small spread of food strewn across his floating island counter top. Thankfully, he was fully clothed as well. She wouldn't have been able to deal otherwise.

"I have the strangest feeling, like I'm being watched", Rossi announced loudly, causing Garcia to jump. He had his back still turned to her, but she could tell he was grinning. "Good morning, gattina. I hope you slept well."

"Um.. yeah", she hesitated, thrown off by his casual manner. Were they just not going to talk about the fact that something had obviously happened between them? "It's so fricken soft it's like lying on a herd of sheep."

"It should for what I spent on it", Rossi chuckled, flipping the slice of bread so that it could brown on the other side. "How's the head?"

"Much better", she realized, creeping up beside him to watch him cook. He was her favourite chef, even still. "What was in that, er, 'elixir' you gave me?"

"A closely guarded list of secret ingredients", Rossi answered evasively, tapping a finger to the side of his nose. "A list that loses it's magic if ever uttered aloud, so you'll not hear it from me."

"Well, whatever it was, you could probably bottle it, sell it, and make a fortune", she sighed, leaning next to Rossi's stove. "All of my hangover feels like it has fled my system."

"I've had plenty of occasions to perfect the recipe", Rossi smirked roguishly, whisking the last slice of bread from the hot pan, to a waiting stack, to the island counter in a flurry of deft and measured movements. "Come.. cenare con me."

Penelope figured he meant for her to sit and eat with him, so she moved to the seat opposite his and sat, trying to decide which of the foods on display she dared to partake in. There was a fresh fruit, yogurt, and cinnamon mixture that caught her eye, so she reached for it.

"It tastes even better when you eat it with the toast", Rossi suggested, indicating the small stack of sliced bread with the cooked in eggy mixture.

"What..is it..though?", Garcia asked hesitantly. She'd never seen toast made that way before.

Rossi glanced up at her in surprise. "Have you never had french toast?"

She shook her head.

"Well, then.. This is french toast with a twist", Rossi explained, spearing a slice with his fork and plopping it on his own plate. "It's starts with a basic egg mixture, but instead of milk, cinnamon, and maple syrup, I use cream, nutmeg, and a bit of white chocolate mixed with some brown sugar. Then you top it off with the yogurt, fruit, and cinnamon. It's important not to mix the nutmeg and the cinnamon flavours until after the toast is cooked, otherwise the taste comes out flat."

As soon as he had said 'white chocolate', she knew she had to try some. It was really sweet, but absolutely delightful. "Mmm! You are such a good cook! I am totally jelly."

"All proper italian breakfasts are sweet, gattina", Rossi dismissed humbly. "Bacon, ham, and eggs are dinner food."

"What's 'gattina' mean?", Garcia asked, eating rather quickly, unable to get enough of the delicious toast and yogurt. "I've never heard you call me that."

Rossi smiled kind of strangely for a moment and then continued to cut up his toast. "It means 'pussycat', which I explained to you last night, but I doubt you remember very much of that.."

Penelope ceased her eating frenzy abruptly, and froze, blushing. She was torn between asking what had happened and wanting to go back to before when they had been ignoring the truth.

"It's alright if you'd rather not talk about it", Rossi assured her, as if he could read her mind, focusing on his plate. "Sadly, I've been down this road before, and I know how unsettling it can be."

"It is.. but it's not", Penelope struggled to explain in a quiet, thoughtful tone. "I just kinda half-wish I knew what I was supposed to be.. 'unsettled' about.."

Rossi nodded, taking in a deep breath, trying to come up with delicate words. "Well.. everything."

"Everything?", Garcia frowned, trying to decipher his meaning. Her eyes then went so wide it hurt her face muscles. "Everything?", she rasped, the weight of her sudden shame crushing her heart and making it very difficult to breath. She thought she just might pass out. "How?.. How..? What?"

"I'm entirely certain it was a combination of things", Rossi attempted to illustrate. "There was the alcohol- which was proved by me, the music- provided by me, the dancing and singing- that was you, and then some stupidity- again me, so it stands to reason that you could blame the whole thing on me , if you like."

Penelope thought about doing just that, but dismissed the idea. "I'm my own person. It's only right that I accept some of the blame."

Rossi shrugged, returning to his toast. "People make mistakes. We're only human after all."

"How am I supposed to learn from my mistakes if I can't even remember them?", Penelope joked self deprecatingly, stirring her yogurt with her fork, decidedly less hungry.

And there it was again. The same look that had given him the crazy idea to ask her over in the first place. A broken down, given in, hassled by life look. A look of undeserved regret. He couldn't stand it, and he wouldn't allow himself to be lumped into the same category as Kevin Lynch.

Rossi stood from the island counter, and held out his hand to her.

She looked up at him, confusion furrowing her brow. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to help you remember", he stated in a manner that held no quarter. "It's the least I can do after I supplied the scotch that took your memory from you."

"I.. don't think that's such a good idea..", Penelope tried to reason, but he was having none of it.

"It's the only way to be sure", Rossi insisted, still holding out his hand to her expectantly.

Penelope took his hand gingerly, slightly wary of what was about to transpire, and allowed him to lead her to the living room area.

"Now", he began, seating her in the exact same spot she had sat in the previous evening, and turning to his record player. "Close your eyes, think back, and listen..."

[a/n: UPDATE: ate some bad food and was sick for the two days i had off :( gonna try and finish before midnight, but it might be a few hours later. love y'all. peace.]


	3. Chapter 3: mudgie, meatballs, & madness

[a/n: there are a lot of songs in this. please read it anyway? {puppy eyes}. i highly recommend listening to tony bennett's music while doing romantic-anything, and the sexiest song is 'beautiful madness' by far. seriously. look it up. do it. you won't be sorry. i promise.]

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CRIMINAL MINDS OR ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS HERE IN.. i merely cook with them from time to time...

Rossi, the perfect host and gentlemen (when he wanted to be), helped her from her coat and hung it on a peg by the front door.

She grinned bashfully at him and muttered her thanks, yet again, for volunteering to brighten her spirits.

"Anytime, kitten", he responded. "Like I said on the way here, tonight is about good music, good scotch, and good company- At least I'll try to be, you might find me a bit boring without your gadgets to distract you."

Penelope giggled, her eyes sparkling slyly. "Well, you never know.. I could still have one or two squirrelled away.."

Rossi gave her a puzzled expression, before realizing what she must mean, and shaking his head with a chuckle. "Nevermind... I'll get some heat on in this old place..", he mumbled as he walked away into the half darkness of his expansive home.

Penelope shivered. It was partially from the slight chill in the air, but also from the strange, yet wonderful and new experience that agreeing to hang out with the older profiler had brought into her life rather suddenly. She couldn't help but smile to herself as she waited for his return.

"La minchia!", she heard from somewhere in the darkness as there was a loud clanking sound.

"Are you okay?", she called out, starting to move towards where she guessed he must have disappeared to.

"Yes!", he called back, still uttering half italian, half english curses under his breath as he came back into view. "It looks like I've run out of oil though. I meant to get a fill up last week. Would a wood fire be alright with you instead?"

Penelope smiled, shrugging. "As long as it's warm."

"It should be", Rossi nodded, his eyes slightly glazed in thought as he strode back towards his front door. "Turn on the lights in the living room and have a seat", he offered over his shoulder as he headed back out into the night. "I'll return shortly."

Penelope nodded and headed for Rossi's glistening leather couch. She turned on a few of the lamps Rossi had scattered about and moved to sit. She almost leapt up immediately as she let out a yelp. The leather of the couch was freezing cold! There was a rustle and frenzied barking that erupted from her left and an unexpected dog sprang up from the left hand corner of Rossi's couch and bolted across to the other side of the room, cowering under the spindily table that held Rossi's record player. Penelope's heart raced as she stared, terrified, at the growling animal, not daring to move a muscle.

"Mudgie!", Rossi scolded as he re-entered the house and quickly moved to stand between his frightened pet and the even more terrified technical analyst. "Go lay down! Lasciare il suo essere!"

The dog whined pitifully, but Rossi didn't back down, so he slunk off to the guest room, which he sometimes used for napping, with his tail between his legs.

"Oh..", Penelope sighed, feeling for the poor thing. "It was my fault, really. He was asleep and I scared him when I sat down."

"Serves him right", Rossi growled grumpily, heaving the burden of firewood he carried in his arms into the log rack beside his fire place. "He's not supposed to sleep on the sofa because he leaves claw marks and scratches." Looking up from his work, he saw her frowning and let out a relenting sigh. "I'll let him know I'm not really mad at him when I feed him- Which reminds me, what are you hungry for?"

Penelope perked up at the mention of food. "Whatever is fine, as long as it's meat free."

Rossi tried not to make a face at the thought of not having any meat in his dinner. Then, he thought of a compromise. "Spaghetti and garlic bread?"

Penelope remembered the last time she had had the dish at Rossi's home and smiled giddily. "Yes please!"

"Eccellente", he grinned, already planning out how to prepare it in his mind so that he had his portion with meatballs and she had her portion with extra veggies.

/space/

"You should really have it with a nice red wine", Rossi commented about the pasta, now that it was almost complete and the house was warmed by the fire. "But since we are drinking later, I can let it slide just this once."

"Probably a wise decision", Penelope nodded from her seat at Rossi's floating island counter top where she was watching him cook. He hadn't let her help with anything, insisting it was faster this way and also because he was supposed to be cheering her up, not putting her to work. It was her job to relax and offer occasional polite conversation. She had giggled at that.

Rossi, having made all the veggies first so they wouldn't at any point come in contact with the meat, (which was a good rule anyway), dropped one of the bite-sized balls he always made for Mudgie when he cooked alone, into the dog's expectant maw. Mudgie, for his part, seemed to have forgiven his master for his previous scolding and was now panting happily at his side.

"When did you get Mudgie?", Garcia asked, sipping the water Rossi had given her. "I don't remember you having a dog the last few times I was here."

"Mudgie doesn't like strange people", Rossi explained. "He gets skittish and upset, so I usually put him out back in his kennel whenever I have company. Unfortunately, I forgot about that when I invited you over here." Rossi looked down as his dog whined a little, and then dropped another meatball to him. "You didn't like JJ's wedding, did you, boy? No, you didn't. Too many strangers. You had to go stay at the real expensive kennel across town, and you were one sad puppy the whole time."

Penelope tried not to laugh as she watched the pair of them. They were completely adorable. The dog seemed to agree with everything his master was saying and Rossi talked to him as if he could understand every word.

Mudgie whined again and Rossi reached for another meatball, adopting a stern expression. "This is the last one, compagno. The rest are for me. You can have the dog food I put in your bowl if you're still hungry."

The dog seemed to wait solemnly for the last meatball. He didn't even eat it right away when Rossi dropped it. He held it between his teeth and walked over to his dry dog food, plopping the little meatball on top of the pile, and curling up to lounge by the dish.

Penelope laughed at his antics.

"Now you're just showing off", Rossi chided, grinning as he divided the spaghetti pasta into equal portions and adding veggies to Penelope's and meatballs to his own. He then turned off his stove, set both plates in their proper places and laid out utensils and napkins he'd snagged on the way. "Buon appetito", he smiled warmly, gesturing for her to begin.

"You don't have to tell me twice", she smirked, digging in with gusto.

/space/

Soon after the meal found them both seated comfortably in Rossi's living room with a rather large bottle of scotch between them on Rossi's glass coffee table, with Rossi's record player gently playing in the background. Rossi set about trying to explain to Garcia the proper way in which to consume eighteen year old scotch and she hung on his every word, determined to get it right. He explained about water and how it opened up different flavours in the scotch depending on how much water was added to the drink, and that's why some people had whiskey on the rocks with more ice than others, or how some people just drank it straight. He preferred a small amount of ice himself and they both agreed that that seemed most appropriate. It turned out to be sweeter than Garcia thought it would be, and she found that she rather liked it.

Rossi waited until after her first glass was gone and she was starting on another before he broached the topic of her feelings. "So.. What was it exactly that had you wanting to escape for awhile?"

Penelope sighed in disappointment at the memory, cursing herself internally and taking an over large gulp of the amber liquid. "I... did something.. something bad.."

"Uh huh..", he encouraged. "Go on.."

Penelope rolled her eyes to the ceiling and slumped over, turning her glass in circles in her hands. "I was doing a search- That was fine. I was frustrated with my search- Not so fine, but manageable. Kevin came into the room and tried to help- That was fine, it was what I needed him there to do. He helped me figure out I was missing ELF sound waves because they were an underground frequency and I was only looking above ground- And that was fine.. Well, it was fine before, in the midst of my euphoria, I kissed him."

"Ah, I see", Rossi nodded. "That would be a big no-no, wouldn't it?"

"Uh huh", she sighed, downing the rest of her drink and nodding for Rossi to please pour her another. "And I made it even worse when I asked him out, just to talk, and he told me he had 'other plans' , so I really felt like a dip."

"Oh, kitten", Rossi sympathized with a sad frown, refilling her glass.

Penelope nodded and moved to sooth-drink again, but Rossi warned her off.

"If you drink this one right away, I'll not pour you another one", he stated pointedly.

"'Kay", she agreed sheepishly, only taking a small sip instead.

"What went wrong with you two anyway?", Rossi asked, drinking from his second glass. "I never heard the story."

Penelope's eyes began to tear at the corners over the touchy subject. "He was going to ask me to marry him."

Rossi nearly sprayed his living room with alcohol. He hadn't been expecting that. "But.. didn't he have that new girlfriend at JJ's wedding?"

Penelope closed her eyes, trying to shut out the pain, as she nodded. "It was before then too. At the Who-Con Reid and I went to. They were there so I made Reid leave. I still owe him big for that."

"Uno che va in culo a sua madre!", Rossi cursed angrily. "If I'd have known that, I would have left him off the guest list! You don't go from almost marrying someone, especially someone like you, to dating someone else right after ward! You just don't!"

Penelope smiled a watery, grateful smile. "You're sweet."

"No, gattina. It's true", Rossi assured her earnestly. "He might just have to end up 'missing'.. indefinitely.

Penelope giggled, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I wouldn't want you arrested on my behalf."

"Arrested? Would you rat me out then?", he asked, glad to see her beginning to smile again.

"No, but I think the bloody trail you would leave behind might give you away", she teased.

"There would be no trail", Rossi intoned darkly. "There would be nothing left to leave a trail."

"I would expect this from Morgan, but not from you", she grinned. "I had no idea you cared so much."

"Of course I care", Rossi scoffed, drinking down the rest of his second glass and refilling. "No one hurts my tech kitten. Ever."

Penelope surprised Rossi with a sudden hug, almost spilling his refilled drink. "Thank you", she mumbled into his shoulder.

"You're welcome", he grinned, accepting her hug with his free arm.

_'The world can be a happy place, of stars and cockle shells,_

_ of summer things like garden swings, of games and carousels..'_

Penelope sighed happily as they broke apart, gazing dreamily at Rossi's record player. "This really is lovely music."

Rossi nodded, smirking nostalgically. "These old tunes have soothed my soul through many troubled times. The way he sings them makes you feel like he understands, like he's right there with you, and that makes the pain less of a thing."

_'..The world is such a lonely place, when you are all alone,_

_ Your arms reach out to empty space, for dreams you've never known,_

_ And in the dawn, in silence I explore,_

_ I see the one I've waited for,_

_ beyond a slowly closing door,_

_ Oh please don't go,_

_ for this I know,_

_ I need you so,_

_ The world's a lonely place, that's all_

_ until you fall.. in love.'_

"Huh, I think I see what you mean", Penelope mused aloud, drinking a small mouthful of the wonderful scotch. "And the scotch really goes well with it."

"That it does", he chuckled, topping up her glass for her. "Oh! This is a real good one. I think you'll appreciate this.." he winked, striding over to the machine and cranking the volume a tad.

_'Missed the saturday dance_

_ Heard they crowded the floor_

_ Couldn't bear it without you_

_ Don't get around much any more_

_ Thought I'd visit the club_

_ got as far as the door_

_ They'd have asked me about you_

_ Don't get around much any more_

_ Now darling, I guess,_

_ my mind's more at ease_

_ But never-the-less,_

_ why stir up old memories?..'_

"Sadly, I can relate", Garcia admitted, taking a long draught of scotch and beginning to feel the effects, but trying to act as if she wasn't. She felt she sorely needed the miracle liquid in large amounts, and knew Rossi would cut her off the moment her charade showed. Maybe that was because she did relate to these songs, extremely accurately. "That's what I felt like at the Who-Con. I didn't want to be there any more when I saw Kevin, and I wished I'd never even left my apartment."

"It's worse because you work with him", Rossi nodded, understanding exactly where she was coming from. "You dread coming to work in the morning because you know there's a fair chance you might see him there, and it'll just hurt so much all over again, and every time you see him, it cuts a little deeper."

"I forgot", Penelope acknowledged, now filling her own glass instead of waiting on Rossi. "You're very familiar with all this, aren't you?"

Rossi chuckled ruefully. "Yeah, my head, my heart and my other head always seem to be more trouble than they're worth."

Penelope laughed, a bright, full laugh, that made his heart take flight, and so he laughed as well.

"I think it might be your sense of humour that hooks 'em", she giggled, taking another small sip this time.

"What sense of humour?", Rossi dismissed with a snort, drinking down the last of his fourth glass. "I think that's the alcohol talking."

Rossi got suddenly quiet when the next song began to play.

Garcia perked her ears up, trying to figure out why, but she soon realized what it was when Tony had sung the first line.

_'Emily, Emily, Emily_

_ Has the murmuring sound of may_

_ All silver bells, and coral shells , and carousels_

_ and the laughter of children at play..'_

"Hotch never told you, did he?" It was less of a question, more of a bid for confirmation.

He shook his head slowly, staring broodingly into his scotch as it swirled around the melting ice. "I listened to this song every night for two months after she 'died'. I felt responsible. We were so close to saving her.. I couldn't let it go. I drank a lot."

"I noticed", she admitted. "I was watching everyone so closely. It was like I was afraid that they might shatter like glass or eggshells at any moment. It was silly, but I was so terrified."

"I saw you", he conceded. "You would do little rounds every few hours, checking in on everyone, making sure Reid had enough coffee, making sure Hotch had all the appropriate forms to fill out paper work.. You hardly ever checked in on me."

Penelope shrugged. "I could never think up a reasonable excuse to come and visit you, and besides, you seemed more accepting of her being gone than the rest of us."

Rossi nodded sadly. "I've seen a lot of people come and go in my life time. I eventually reasoned that it was an inevitability. That one of us was bound to fall pray to an unsub at some point and lose the battle. It was the only way I could move past it."

"I had just begun to accept it when she came back", Penelope confessed, refilling her glass again. "It flipped me upside down. I think it was even harder than when she was dead."

"I felt that too", Rossi agreed, staring over the rim of his glass into space and time. "It was like she wasn't really there, and then, she wasn't again."

_'..As my eyes visualize a family_

_ They see Emily, Emily too.'_

The song ended, leading into the next one which was titled 'change partners', giving Rossi a curious thought. "Now that you and Kevin aren't together, are you going to take up with Morgan?"

Penelope choked on her scotch and spent a good long minute trying to breathe again before she was able to answer. "What- makes you- think- I will?"

"Well, your chemistry is obvious", Rossi stated plainly. "I've even over heard the occasional perfect stranger commenting on it and wondering about it. You can basically see it from space. You two are the talk of head quarters and a lot of the agents already assume you're together."

"Really?", Penelope giggled, making a face. "That's so weird. I mean we're each others.. Not soul mate.. Like, a soul friend. Someone who is perfectly matched to you, but you never step over the professional line with. He's fun. Super fun. Like a roller coaster made of chocolate fun, but I'd never.. I mean.. I wouldn't even survive I don't think. His hotness would burn me to a crisp. There'd be nothing left of me."

"It sounds like you're selling yourself short", Rossi scolded teasingly. "I think you'd melt that chocolate roller coaster, no problem."

Penelope went absolutely crimson. "David Rossi! Now look what you've done! You've gone and turned me into a tomato!"

"Or a cherry Garcia", Rossi snickered, refilling his glass again.

"You've been waiting for an excuse to use that line since forever, haven't you?", she giggled, returning to a normal shade.

"Maybe", Rossi shrugged nonchalantly, nursing his drink and beginning to feel a little over-warm. He should probably slow down soon.

When the next tune began to play, Penelope let out an excited exclamation. "Oh! I know this one!", she squealed happily, setting her drink down on the table and flailing her arms, unable to contain herself. "Uh, let's see.. Yeah, it goes- UhhhIn olden days, a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking, now heaven knooowss! Anything goooess.."

Rossi was shocked, but pleasantly so, as she continued to belt out one of his favourite classics.

"Good authors too, who once knew better words, now only use four letter words- writing prooose!, anything goooes.. the world has gone mad todayy, and good's bad todayy, and black's white todayy, and day's night todayy, when most guys todayy, that women prize todayy, are just silly gigolooos.. So though I'm not a great romancer, I know that you're bound answer when I propooose.. that anything goooes!.."

"How do you know this song?", Rossi laughed in astonishment, shaking his head. "I would think you'd be more of a gaga fan."

"What kind of a theatre girl would I be if I didn't know this song?", she replied cheekily, entirely pleased that she wasn't as completely in the dark about Rossi's music as she thought she was going to be when he had invited her to his house. She laughed at his bemused expression and continued singing when the song picked up again because she was enjoying herself too much to stop. "..The world has gone mad todayy, and good's bad todayy, and black's white todayy, and day's night todayy, and most guys todayy, that women prize todayy, are just silly gigolooos.. So though I'm not a great romancer, I know that you're bound to answer when I propooose! That anything goooes.. anything goooes.. anything gooooooooooes!"

Rossi clapped loudly when she was finished, which caused her to blush again.. or was that the alcohol? "Bravo! Benissimo!"

"Oh gosh, well thanks..", she tried to dismiss giddily.

"No, gattina, that was wonderful", Rossi assured her, taking her hand in earnest.

Penelope looked away from him bashfully, shaking her head. "I do alright.."

"You're a right side better than me, at any rate", Rossi insisted.

Penelope guffawed, and Rossi felt a challenge coming on.

"You want proof?", he asked, already knowing what her answer would be.

She grinned mischievously, nodding.

"Alright then..", Rossi accepted with a determined air. "This next one should be proof enough... I'll be lovin' you- always.. with a heart that's true- always.. and when the things you've planned, need a helpin' hand, I will understaaand- alwaaays- always, daays may not be fair- always.. that's when I'll be there- alwaaays!.. not for just an hour, not just a day, not for just a yeaaar, but alwaaays.."

Getting caught up in the music, he took her by the hand suddenly, lifting her from her seat and twirling her on the spot in one swooshing movement.

She laughed and started dancing along.

"I'll be lovin'-I'll be lovin'-I'll be lovin' you alwaays.. with a heart that's true- always.. when the things you've planned, need a helpin' hand, I will understaaand- alwaays, always.. daays.. may not.. be fair- always.. that's when I'll be there- alwaaays!.. not for just an hour, not for just a day, not for just a year, but alwaaaaaays!"

He wasn't going to win any contests any time soon, but he did alright, and she told him as much. "You're a far better dancer", she snickered, unable to stop laughing now they were both doing so and with all the 'silly juice' coursing through their veins.

"Oh you think so, do you?", he chuckled, twirling her around again as the next song began. "Heaven-"

"-I'm in heaven", she interrupted, singing the next line before he could.

Their eyes were alight with sheer impish joy as they realized that there was going to be a ridiculous battle ahead.

"And my heart beats so that I can hardly speeeak!-"

"-And I seem to find the happiness I seek..", she sang, cutting him off again.

"-When we're out together-"

"-Dancin' cheek to cheek.. Heaven-"

"-I'm in heaven", he sang, cutting her off this time. "And the cares-"

"-That hung around through the weeeeek!", she belted, sticking her tongue out at him. "Seem to vanish-"

"-Like a gambler's lucky streak.."

"-When we're out together-", she smirked.

"-Dancin' cheek to cheek..", he finished the line.

"Oh, I love to climb a mountain! And to reach the highest peak! But it doesn't thrill me half as much as dancin' cheek to cheek.."

"Oh, I love to go out fishin'! In a river, or a creek! But I don't enjoy it half as much as dancin' cheek to cheek.. Dance with me!, I want my aaarm about you-"

"-That chaaarm about you, will caaarry me through to-"

"Heaven.. I'm in heaven-"

"-And my-"

"-Heart beats-"

"-So that-"

"-I can-"

"-Hardly-", she laughed.

"-Speeeak!", he sang.

"And I seem to find that happiness I seek.."

"When we're out together swingin' cheek to cheek.."

They whirled around and around, trying to avoid up-ending any of Rossi's furniture and just managing to do so, despite everything.

"Come on and daance with me! I want my aaarm about you-", he sang, turning her around so that she faced away from him and his arm was now wrapped around both of her shoulders as they continued to dance about.

"-That chaaarm about you", she giggled, leaning back into him. "It will caaarry me through-"

"-Right up to heaven", he sang.

"-I'm in heaven", she half sang, half sighed dreamily. "And my heart beats so that I can hardly speeeak!"

"-And I seem to find that happiness I seek.."

"When we're ouut together dancin'.."

"-Ouuut together dancin'.."

"Ouuut together dancin' cheek to cheeeeeek!", they ended the song in unison, face to face once more.

_'Hey fella, with a million smackers, and nervous indigestion_

_ Rich fella eatin' milk and crackers, I'll ask you one question_

_ You silly so-and-so.. with all your dough-_

_ Are you havin' any fun?..'_

"You're alright, David Rossi", Penelope smiled warmly, still swaying along in his arms.

"You're not bad yourself, gattina", he smiled in return.

"I meant to ask", she remembered suddenly. Her brain was getting awfully foggy. "What does that mean?"

"What does what mean?", he asked, not sure what she meant.

"Gattina", Penelope explained. "What does it mean? I've been wondering all night."

Rossi chuckled, shaking his head at his silly slip. "It means 'pussy cat'. Sometimes I think of the italian words for things before I say the english translation because I learned the italian first. I meant to say 'kitten'."

"That's okay", she grinned. "I like gattina better. As a matter of fact, everything sounds better in italian."

"Oh, vedi, Penelope piace la mia lingua, eh?", Rossi smirked cheekily.

"Jinkies", Penelope cooed, practically melting. "How are you still single?"

"Persistence", Rossi joked, spinning her around as the flow of the song deemed necessary.

She laughed. "Yeah. No, seriously. I mean it."

Rossi shrugged in a devil-may-care fashion. "I guess I'm not the kind of person that's easily tied down."

"Reminds me of someone else I know", Penelope grinned.

"Morgan?", Rossi guessed.

She barked out a laugh at that. "No, me! I've been on more failed dates and in more failed relationships then I would ever care to recount. The only person I ever gave half a thought to was Kevin and well.."

"He wasn't much of an anchor", Rossi tried to argue, coming to her defence. "At least what I saw of him anyway."

She thought about it and nodded reluctantly. "Or maybe my flighty wings are too big for my own good."

"You're wings are beautiful, stop that", Rossi admonished her, giving her a quick kiss to the top of her silly golden head.

The kiss was innocent enough- Just the briefest peck, but it was at that moment that the next song began, and it was that change that set the course for the rest of the night.

_'After watching her appeal from every angle_

_ there's a big romantic deal I've got to wrangle_

_ For I've fallen for a certain lovely lass_

_ and it's not a passing fancy or a fancy pass.._

_ I love the looks of you_

_ The lure of you_

_ I'd love to make_

_ a tour_

_ of you..'_

Penelope felt as if all the breath was being squeezed from her lungs as she became locked in his steady gaze. She felt as if she was Frauline Maria dancing the laendler with Captain Von Trapp. The Sound of Music was her favourite musical. Why did she have to be thinking of that right now?

It didn't matter what had happened before, or what was going to happen afterward even. All that there was was the two of them, the dance, and the music.

Rossi could feel the build of heat he knew so well. The rush of feeling that came with imaging crazy, wild thoughts before anything actually happened. This was one of the sweetest parts, and he loved it so much.

_'..So love at least a small percent of me do_

_ for I..love..all of..you.'_

For a moment, it seemed like there would be a kiss that was a little less innocent, but just like in The Sound of Music, the spell was broken when the leading lady pulled away.

But Rossi wasn't willing to give up so easily. Silently praying that he was making the right choice before throwing caution to the winds, he snatched back her hand before she could move to sit down on his couch.

She looked slightly frightened as he guided her gently back into his arms, but he gave her a smile, and in that smile he tried his best to convey the fact that she had nothing at all to fear. That he could keep her safe if she'd just give him a chance.

_'What you do to me_

_ you get through to me_

_ with a beautiful vibration that is new to me_

_ And instead of 'no',_

_ what comes out is 'oh'_

_ Baby, baby, don't you quit now..'_

One of Penelope's greatest weaknesses was romance, and David Rossi had that in god damned spades. She swooned inspite of herself. This was crazy. It was nuts.. but it was so sweet and scorched her insides something fierce, a lot like the alcohol had.

Rossi could see and sense her doubts, but he was determined to waltz them away, and he seemed to be winning on that front the more he felt her relax.

_'When tomorrow lifts me to coral lips_

_ then they kiss me now, and later we can quarrel ifs_

_ I should turn you off_

_ but you turn me on_

_ So baby, baby, don't you quit now..'_

It was like he was singing silently with his eyes and she was listening with hers. His touch was so tender and she felt her need for it grow with each passing step. Not just in her hands and on her waist, but everywhere, every inch of her skin.. outside and in.

Having a lust-ridden technical analyst dancing smoothly in his arms was an interesting experience, to say the least. He could feel heat coming off of her in waves and was sure the same thing could be said about himself. Just like the woman in the song, she had a way of turning him on like nobody's business, and it wasn't like she even had to try. She just was sultry. It was already there.

_ 'Every kiss I take is a piece of cake_

_ and to give me a sample was your first mistake_

_ cause I know when a little tastes like more_

_ and now I want the darn bakery store..'_

Rossi mouthed the last line, brushing noses with Penelope and grinning from ear to ear when it caused her to let out a small, tinkling laugh. From then on, they knew it was all going to turn out fine.

_ 'Take my pay from me_

_ Christmas day from me_

_ Go anywhere you want, except away from me_

_ Quit tomorrow noon_

_ or nine o'clock, the fifth of june,_

_ but baby, don't you quit now..'_

There was no way that she would pull away now. She couldn't even remember why she'd wanted to to begin with, so entranced she was with her romeo.

_ 'I should turn you off_

_ but you turn me on_

_ Baby, baby, don't you quit now..'_

He bided his time, waiting for the exact perfect moment to finally kiss her. He had a feeling he knew when it should be, but the anticipation seemed to be doing wonderful things to her and he was loath to ruin such a pretty thing as the expression she was wearing.

Penelope's breathing got heavier and hitched every so often, as he continued to stare her down coyly. God, the feeling was powerful. So powerful it was a miracle she could function properly. When would he kiss her? There was no doubt that he would, but when would it be?

_ 'Quit tomorrow noon-'_

Rossi stopped dancing, holding Penelope still.

_ 'or nine o'clock, the fifth of june-'_

Penelope nearly stopped breathing entirely. This was it. It was happening.

_ 'But baby-'_

Rossi leaned in the last few millimetres.

_ 'don't-'_

Penelope's eyes fluttered closed.

_ 'quit-'_

Their lips met at the exact perfect moment Rossi had been waiting for as the song ended.

_ 'now.'_

His kisses were a strange wonder. They had a kind of lazy measurement to them, and she wanted to pull him in closer, but their situation was so delicate and new that she felt it shouldn't be rushed. They sent little shivers up the back of her neck and into the roots of her hair as his lips continued to move against hers again and again.

_'Madness,__ such beautiful madness_

_ when love is all..one crazy night..in paradise..to recall'_

'Whether it's the right choice or not, it's certainly an enjoyable one', Rossi thought to himself as he kissed her carefully, making sure they were all gentle, yet firm, and tender, yet passionate. After all, he was a methodical man.

Penelope made happy little moaning noises, leaning into him a little further each time until they were pressed together completely.

_ 'It's madness, such wonderful madness_

_ lost in a sigh_

_ no one but us..between the earth..and the sky'_

His hands began to wander, moving fluidly through her golden curls, smoothly down her back, ghosting over her hips and thighs, and repeating in various order.

Her left hand was clasped firmly around the back of his neck while her right was clutching at his shoulder. She wanted him closer. So much closer.

_ 'I know..this means..surrender'_

Rossi slipped his hands under her thighs, gripping them tightly, lifting her off the floor only to deposit her onto her back on his couch a few breaths later.

Penelope gasped and shivered at the unexpected action, but didn't have much time to dwell on it before he had joined her there, taking hold of her waist and climbing in between her legs.

_ 'i know..'_

they both paused briefly, just long enough to properly appreciate the lust in each others eyes; Penelope's were heavy-lidded and Rossi's were smouldering brightly.

_ 'deep in my heart-'_

he leaned over her, kissing the sensitive spot behind her ear, the curve of her jaw, the silk of her neck.

She sighed and writhed wistfully under his care.

_ 'i must-'_

he slipped his hands craftily into the short sleeves of her dress, tickling the skin there before exploring furthur and discovering her soft breasts.

No one had thought of that before and she revelled momentarily in the genius of it.

_ 'though it's just-'_

he found that her bra was blocking his access to her, but he knew an easy fix for that. He slipped his hands behind her back and had it unclasped within three seconds. It was then simply a matter of pushing the garment aside.

_ 'madness!..'_

"Uhhh", she cried out, digging her finger nails into his suit-jacket as he began to knead her expertly.

He grinned into her neck, finding the exact point where she was the most sensitive in both areas and exploiting them to their full potential.

She cried out again, pulling him into a rather hungry kiss, refusing to let go. She needed him- desperately. She didn't know exactly why. She supposed it was a combination of things, but she needed whatever he had to give her.. and she needed it now.

"Breathe, gattina", Rossi chuckled, finally able to gasp for air himself.

Penelope shook her head. "no. I don't ever want to breathe again. Kiss me into oblivion."

"Oh, I can do more than that", he promised, nipping her earlobe playfully. "Would you like me to illustrate?"

Penelope whimpered an affirmative.

"Well, we'll have to move locations for that", he smirked, kissing the top of her frustrated head.

Penelope made a disgruntled noise of protest, but Rossi shook his head.

"My couch, as nice as it is, is no place for proper fun", he explained.

Penelope slung her arms around his neck. "Lead the way then."

Rossi didn't need to be told twice. He moved from the couch, to the hallway, to his bedroom door, stealing kisses all the while.

"Last chance to back out", Rossi warned teasingly.

Penelope didn't answer. She pushed him through the open door, staring at him like a rabid lioness, and shut the door behind her.

/space/

Penelope was quickly finding out just how accurate Rossi's reputation in the BAU was. He kept a strict slower pace which was driving her insane with torturous bliss, and he never wavered for a moment no matter how much she pleaded and begged.

Rossi's back was now riddled with nail marks, but he didn't mind. He would wear them with pride for a job well done. For he knew this wasn't about him at all. It was about her. Anything he could get out of it was just a happy side effect. She needed some good love, and good love he could give.

When they were both finally satiated, Penelope rested her weary head on Rossi's furry, still heaving chest and slipped into a dreamless sleep.

"Dormi bene, gattina", she heard him whisper fondly before she was lost to the sweet abyss.

[a/n: fixed the ending! :) now i can let it go and move onto the next chappy. love y'all. peace.]


End file.
